Imprinted
by bluebelllane
Summary: Recessive genes can cause problems at the best of times, throw in the supernatural and it's a whole new kettle of fish, Emmett/OC, set during Twilight, M to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

Alexandra Black had always been considered an average person. Anyone who knew her would be able to say the same thing with conviction. She was pretty, not beautiful, her eyes were bright but nevertheless an average and ordinary blue, framed by black lashes, set underneath brown eyebrows that needed minimal care. Her skin was a honey tan in the summer, pale white in the winter. She had everyday, run of the mill chestnut brown hair, cut short; when she had time to do something to it, it looked neat, when she didn't it turned into a shaggy mess. She was a regular height for a British teenage girl, hovering between five eight and nine. Her lips were well balanced, and a light pinkie red colour.

She was alright at sports, if a little clumsy at times, not being fully accustomed to hips and added cleavage (though it wasn't that much extra) even at seventeen. Puberty had been a shock.

She liked romance novels as any girl did, enjoyed all music that didn't scream at her and had lyrics, she disliked her homework, received okay marks in school, was fiercely independent from being an only child, occasionally grumbled over doing housework, and _loathed_ being called anything except Alex.

Alex had never had any real ambitions, no true passions or goals in life, had never even been taught to have a drive for something. She floated through life wide eyed and clueless.

That's probably why, on March 28th when she stumbled through the front door of her parents London town house, she was baffled as to the appearance of three hold-alls, four satchels and a Sainsbury's 'for life' bag in the lobby.

Apparently her mother was leaving.

Her parents had always been rocky at best. Her mothers' pregnancy at nineteen had pushed the two into an unwanted marriage, and familiarity had kept it together. They had a routine, well learnt. Eat dinner. Watch TV. Send daughter to bed. Drink. Argue. Scream. Cry. Go to bed angry. Wake up angry. Go to work. Repeat. Easy.

Alex plonked down on a stool opposite her dad, slumped over the table wearing a grubby white towel dressing gown and staring pathetically into a cheese and pickle sandwich like it was taunting him with all the answers to his problems. She waited silently, expectantly.

Finally, almost ten minutes later his bright brown eyes looked up, not happy, nor sad, and his lips tugged into a crooked, relieved twitch marauding as a grin. "We're moving." was all he said.

It eventually came out that he had been offered a job. In America. It had been the cause of the argument, Catherine, Alex's mother, had not wanted to leave England, her home. Whereas Joseph, aka 'dad' had always wanted to go back, having been born and raised on an old Indian reservation called LaPush in the state of Washington. His – and her - family had descended from the original tribe of the Quileute's.

Her dad looked like a full blooded Indian. His skin was almost chocolate dark, his hair thick and shiny black in a plaited rope down his back, with dark brown eyes. Even at forty he looked good, young and healthy.

Alex had inherited little, if anything, from her dad, nothing physically except from one of his smiles; the shaky, half reluctant one that only just reached their eyes. But apart from that you couldn't see anything. Their personalities were identical though, teasing, playful, childish, at times confident, proud and fearless, others shy and unsure.


	2. Chapter 2

When my dad had announced to me that we would be moving, I had only thought about, at most, moving towns, moving out of the continent hadn't even entered my wildest fantasies, hadn't even occurred to me. Regardless, at the start of my summer holiday, finishing my first year of college, our things had been sorted, boxed, sent and delivered to the new house, awaiting our arrival, all the way across 'the pond' to Forks Washington, where we would be joining them so my dad could work in the police force. Apparently his cousin, Billy Black had good connections with the chief of police there. Go figure.

A week before we left England, and with it London, mum introduced us to her new tasty, aka her boss. Apparently they'd been together "for a while" now, and we all knew what that translated to. I'd never liked my mum much, she had always been far too distant and proper to show me any affection, unlike dad who'd grown up in a close community where everyone knew everyone, but this REALLY was the icing on the cake. Knowing she could cheat on a man who'd shared her life for nearly seventeen years had been the final blow, I couldn't care less if I never saw the woman again.

Dad and I climbed from our final flight feeling stiff and unrested, I tussled my short hair, scratching at my scalp to work some feeling back to the area that'd been leaning on a head rest for the best part of a day. We picked up our bags quickly, neither of us being happy in such a crowded building. Billy Black and his son Jacob had come to pick us up in a beaten red Chevy, apparently the fifteen year old was driving. I clambered into the flat bed of the truck and tried to get as comfortable and dry as possible for the journey.

We arrived in Forks after a boring, and wet (despite my best efforts) trip, I was soaked to my skin. Jacob grinned at me like he'd planned the entire ordeal, in a way I guess he had. He held out a hand for me quickly when I gave him a death glare (I think), and offered to take my bag to my room. It's safe to say I declined.

The new house was nice, renovated by a local woman called Esme Cullen. Billy seemed sour about that fact. Dad unlocked the door and manoeuvred us all in, dropping his own bag on top of the nearest box "Al your rooms the first door you see up the stairs." I glanced up to the white panel, the background to a pale wooden staircase, waxed, the steps covered in a mottled blue carpet, gold runners holding it into the bends. I'd reached the top of the stairs without realising I was walking, and swung open the door. My room was stunning, lovely and light, with a big bay window, the king size bed had been pushed underneath it; the top end obviously curved to fit in properly and piled high with teal and grey pillows and a quilt. The sheer comfort of it made me grin. Bookshelves lined the same wall as the window, giving me plenty of space for all my books, DVD's, CD's and other knickknacks. On the opposite wall facing the bed there was a brand new plasma screen TV, and I wondered how dad was affording all of this. Underneath the TV my old radio CD combo hung, like I'd wanted it to be from the moment I got it, I quickly stuck the disc in my portable player into the other machine. I'd never agreed with my iPod. Some eighties song began playing and I set to unpacking my clothes into the walk in wardrobe and chest of drawers. I didn't have much but I'd recently been forced to thin it down from t-shirts I'd had since I was seven.

I became engrossed in the music quickly, singing along out of key and to loudly. My wailing masked my dad's chuckling from the door half an hour later, but I sensed his presence after a minute or two, turning around and flashing him a wide grin, "We have guests." He informed me so I dropped my books onto the bed and loped through the mind field of boxes and bags easily. The houses reception was a nice airy room, full of light like the rest of the rooms, and sparsely furnished with what must have been antique sofas. A family of seven occupied most of the two seats so I stood in the arched doorway as dad introduced them all, stumbling over names. They were all breathtakingly stunning, each an individual in their own right, complimented with blonde, black, or bronze hair, the kindest looking woman I'd ever seen got up to gently shake my hand, smiling kindly when I blinked at her in shock. This was _unreal!_ Two of the three boys smiled calmly as their mother had done, the one with the lightest hair looked at me oddly, and I think dad called him Jasper. The other, Edward, seemed to be bored of me already so I didn't waste time on him. He was pretty and that's all I cared to think. The tinniest of girls bounced happily next to him, waving enthusiastically when I looked at her. The blonde on the other sofa made me cringe she was so beautiful, I actually felt like apologising for being in her presence which was ludicrous. The father of the family, Carlisle smiled warmly at me and welcomed me to the town, I think I mumbled a thanks, my attention had been drawn to the huge form of their last son. He had to be about six foot five, with thick muscles wrapped around crossed arms, lying over a well defined chest. I looked at his face, and unlike the others he was far more handsome than beautiful, with a strong jaw, a nice straight nose, golden eyes, strict, straight black brows, and curly black hair. His plump pink lips pulled back into a smirk once he noticed my look, "Nice choice of music; by the way." The smirk turned into a satisfied grin. It figured he'd be a git. I left lazily without replying, or, thankfully, blushing. His mother scolded him lightly.

~"~

"What? What did I say?" Emmett asked, grinning as we left our new neighbours house. I shot him a dirty look, knowing how he'd managed to alienate the latest wolf from us all. We didn't need them thinking we were all 'gits' as the girl had said. "You embarrassed her, Emmett." His grin stretched impossibly further.

"Come _on_! She was listening to eighties music! _Bad _eighties music! I couldn't resist!" a sharp crack could be heard as Alice slapped the side of his head.

"You'll regret it soon enough." She grumbled, and I grinned, becoming immersed in the short vision whilst Emmett stared on in confusion.

~"~

Dinner that night started as a quiet affair, dad was grumbling about his new uniform not fitting properly around the chest, which gave me plenty of time to work out a tactic for asking about a puppy. I'd wanted one since I was six and had incessantly and obnoxiously asked for one any where between one a week and twice a day. I had two months of summer to really chew over my argument, and, given the fact that mum and dad's biggest argument against it had always been mum's fictional allergy, dad didn't have much of a leg to stand on. He shot me odd looks every few minutes whilst I pondered my dilemma.

I scrubbed our plates clean when dinner was finished with, still pondering as dad drug sheets from the washer and bundled them into a dryer, I watched him silently, cold hands dangling into the hot soapy water, as he finished. Eventually he faced me, a scowl in place. "I know what you're thinking."

"Can I?" his mouth twisted into a grimace, before the corners strained against it. It took me less than a second to realise he'd already gotten one, and I squealed eagerly, "Thank you!" dad wrapped us both into my hug properly, my wet hands leaving big prints on the back of his blue shirt "It's yours." He took me out of the back door onto the sheltered porch and pointed towards a white wooden kennel with a peaked blue roof. Huddled just inside of the door was a black husky with caramel socks. I ran out into the rain, slipping repeatedly in the mud, and unclipped the chain, pulling the dog inside of my old cricket jumper to keep it mostly dry, the dog squirmed about, apparently unhappy about the current situation, judging from its wriggling.

The screen door snapped behind me and I trudged up stairs ignoring dads' mutters about mud trekking through the house, plopping the pup onto my bed sheets when I got there.

I'd left my music on during dinner so turned it to a low hum and grabbed a towel from my bathroom. The pup looked up at me, obviously nervous and more than a little wet. I rubbed the fluffy fabric into its sodden fur, gently drying the tiny body. I'd have to think of a name soon. During my musings the dog relaxed, rolling over to offer me – _his – _belly. I grinned, having won over my nameless but no longer sexless dog, and abandoned the now damp towel to the floor, and stroked his neck and chest, tickling the tufts of fur poking between the pads on his feet, I quickly began to wonder about inoculations, and if he had had his jabs and vaccinations yet, if dad even knew about insurance and vets.

By eleven o'clock I'd managed to draw up a two page mental list of things I'd need to find out, but was no closer to picking a name.


	3. Chapter 3

Chappy two! Sorry it's been so long since an update, there was a momentary loss of internet and two sets of 15 hour exams over six consecutive days that distracted me a touch. I hope it's ok though! I've already hand written most of the story, it'll need tweaking as I type, obviously, but the plot is down pat!

I spent my almost too long summer walking and training the puppy, who I'd named Sylus in the end, which meant 'of the woods'. It seemed appropriate, given his exuberance at rushing through the damp bracken and shrubbery. He learnt quickly but by god was he stubborn about actually performing. I loved him to pieces.

A few days before school started again dad took me out to get clothes suitable for the weather, replacing my tatty combat shorts, cut off jeans and baggy t-shirts I'd brought with me from England. They were fine for chasing a mad dog through rivers and bogs for hours on end but school would require something a little sturdier - I always over thought walking, making me trip through most of my days. We managed to pick up about ten new tops, mostly white grey purple or black, and some jeans which I'd purposely bought a size or two to big. We collected pens, folders and note books. Dad always liked buying stationary for some reason, but it suited me fine, as I hated all forms of shopping. I noticed some kids my age in the store and hid myself behind dad, suddenly engrossed with the post-it notes, bright green (was it yellow?) or pink… choices choices. Dad noticed my sudden shyness and chuckled, spying the cause. I shoved him playfully and we took our items to the till, with dad whining playfully about the costs.

A BMW outside of the store caught our attention as we left the shop, bags bulging.

"Must belong to the Cullen's, they're the only ones around here to have enough money for _that_ as a running about car." Dad commented, and I grinned at his slightly jealous tone, "saw one of their kids in this jeep, the big one, a bloody _gorgeous_ car."

"This one's lovely enough, why would they even need more?" I leant heavily against my dad's cruiser, still examining the other car. The owners returned after a few seconds, the older woman, Esme, leading her three boys, I couldn't help but grin at the sheer number of paper bags Emmett had been laid down with. Sylus yapped from my knee's, drawing my attention, and theirs. Emmett grinned at me as I climbed into the cruiser, calling the gangly dog in after me. Esme waved cheerfully at us as we left, copying her movement weakly.

"That Emmett bloke really annoys me. He's such a git." I grumbled childishly.

"You've only met him once, Alex."

"Exactly!" I slouched further into my seat, trying to keep my mood as high as possible in the circumstance. "He thinks' he's got some right to tease me about my music because he's good looking! That's why he keeps on grinning!"

"Have you ever thought that maybe he finds you attractive." He'd managed to pull out his best 'dad' voice, completely cancelling the compliment. I hefted Sylus into the back seat as we pulled up to a red light; the BMW idled directly behind us.

"Yeah right, have you _seen_ him dad, he's like Orlando Bloom, Johnny Depp, Brad Pitt, Hugh Grant and George Clooney melted down and stuck into a mould of Hephaestus… if a little less hairy."

"Hepha-who? Isn't that an STD?"

"He's a Greek god, dad."

"Oh… Ali you're a very attractive young woman." I rolled my eyes at his once again required dad encouragement.

"Dad I'm average at best, in every bloody aspect." He kept quiet after that.

~"~

I could feel the shock undulating from Emmett in waves, mirrored and tinged with sympathy by Esme. It was astonishing that the Black girl thought herself plain. True she wasn't as naturally beautiful as Rosalie, or as sweet and cute as Esme or Alice, but a strange and interesting mix of the three, the same thin body as Alice but stringy at the same time, not quite willowy but not lanky either. Her hair was an endearing disaster that matched how she dressed; crumpled, a little bit scruffy, but amazingly bewildered all at once. She had a sweet little mouth, pink cupids bow lips, adorably wide eyes that looked permanently mischievous and guilty whilst still being clueless, and framed by the thickest blackest lashes I'd ever seen, completed with a cute nose; she seemed to be a mixture of Esme, Alice and Rosalie, from when they were human, all over something that was undeniably beautiful but thoroughly wild and unendingly strong. Edwards half smile showed he agreed with my assessment, before we got on to teasing Emmett about his little human crush.

~"~

Monday morning seemed wetter than normal. Sylus still slept on the pillows next to me, head tucked firmly under his tail, as I got up to shower and dress. I dawdled over breakfast, and choosing what to wear, finding my anorak, so I was running late. I dropped Sylus' food bowl by the back door and yanked on my roller blades (not having quite gotten the hang of the brakes enough to pass my driving test); I gave my dad a quick peck on the cheek before clanking out of the front door.

Half way to the ordinary building I'd visited a few weeks ago, a sleek silver Volvo slid next to me. The window scrolled down and Edward Cullen smiled back at me, "Do you need a ride?" I was slightly bemused by the offer.

"Do you guys even have space in there?" I figured they'd all be riding together.

"There's room for a little one." He smirked, obviously teasing. I blushed from my toes to my scalp, clamping my lips together before I shook my head sharply 'no', "Come on, Alexan-."

"Don't you dare say it Cullen or your _tongue_ will be walking to school." He grinned.

"_Alex, _then, you're getting drenched and I can hear Alice's teeth grinding about your hair from here."

"What's wrong with it?"

"It's _curling_." A high voice pitched in from the back seat.

"Just chuck your blades into the boot." I twisted my mouth into a scowl before doing as I was told, balancing precariously on the wheels of one boot as I pulled on the first trainer.

There was a surprising amount of space in the back seat, even with Alice, jasper and Emmett along the upholstered bench. Despite this, it was going to be a bit of a squeeze. I scrambled in next to Emmett, who quickly dipped his seatbelt around us both as Edward took off again. I was massively uncomfortable because of Emmett's huge form and proximity, I couldn't help but shy away when he lay an arm across the head rests in an attempt to create more space. To pass the time I compared our legs, pressed tightly together, you could see muscles beneath the denim straining, obviously tense. His leg was about the width of my waist. Alice nattered on about going back to school to all of the cars inhabitants, seeming too eager to be getting back, almost fake. I couldn't figure out why, though, I didn't look or act the studious sort so it couldn't be to make me feel at ease. I figured I was probably reading too much into it. I'd always been a touch paranoid. Edward flicked on the radio, covering the chatter as he searched through stations. He stopped at a station when Emmett half ordered him to, and the older started singing along, causing me to burst out laughing. He relaxed back into the seat as I clutched my sides, claiming his singing wasn't nearly as bad as mine had been. The freezing skin of his arm brushed the back of my neck, making me shiver. It felt like a winter breeze just before the snow, sneaking under your scarf and down your shirt. It was nice.

We arrived at the school in good time, pulling into a decent space with stunning ease. Emmett unclipped the shared seat buckle so we could get out, leaning unnecessarily close as the fabric slid fluidly through his long pale fingers and back into the seat. I was mesmerised. All eyes were on us when we got out, the lot was freakishly silent, before a loud babble broke out. It confused me a little… more than a little. Edward leaned into me, like two conspirators, "They think Carlisle has adopted again." I vaguely remembered that despite the Cullen's similarities, they weren't all related, Jasper and Rosalie were twins, whilst Edward was maybe related to Carlisle some how… or maybe it was Alice…? I'd have to try and clear that up later. Emmett pointed me towards reception as I collected my things, and wished me a good day; I realised that in the space of a twenty minute car journey my image of him had changed completely. And I was usually such a good judge of character… I think. I smiled and thanked him, before heading into the confused mingle of my peers and the first day of what was to become the rest of my life, as clichéd as that was.

The receptionist gave me a map that I knew I'd have my nose stuck in straight off, my attention span wasn't my strongest point – I occasionally had difficulty navigating my way out of public bathrooms.

I was dreading my first class – Spanish. I'd barely managed to pass my French GCSE and that was only because my parents hired a home tutor to help with my revision, apparently knowing more then one language was a vital skill, and I had to agree, it HAD saved me from a bathroom once...

I stood awkwardly at the teachers' desk, chewing my way through my bottom lip and cheeks whilst avoiding the classes' curious looks. The teacher signed the little bit of paper I'd held tightly in my freezing fingers. My mum had always said my circulation was bad, and that I'd drop down dead in the street if I didn't get it sorted out by a doctor, but dad just said I had a warm heart which was better than the money I could save from not having to buy gloves and scarves. To be honest I wasn't to sure, I always felt very hot in myself, but my body was always a few degrees cooler than the air outside, even in winter.

Bella Swan, the daughter of my dad's boss smiled at me and gestured to a seat in front of her, which I collapsed into, before looking back to the front of the room, where the teacher was busy spelling out my doom. Spanish was as incomprehensible as French – if not worse.

The next lesson slot offered me a reprise. My lack of interest in sports or group activities had left me a lot of time for reading and writing which meant English had always been a breeze for me, I wasn't fantastic at it but I did well and didn't need to put in any effort to get good grades.

Alice Cullen was in the same class and she drug me to the seat next to her, her fingers gripping me a little to hard, and I was surprised to find her touch cold – nothing felt cold on my skin. I shrugged it off – if my body was this cold why wouldn't somebody else's be colder? She chatted to me easily, the conversation more natural than in the car but she seemed more nervous here, her back ramrod straight, despite being leant forward, elbows on the desk. It looked unbearably uncomfortable but she never shifted her body from the stiff pose. The teacher was trying to get us to discuss a book I'd read when I was seven – lord of the flies – I knew the book back to front, and still occasionally had nightmares about it when my imagination was over active. I floated through the discussion and the text, not thinking about much besides the way the trees moved outside the window. After a while my 'sixth' sense picked up a gaze off of Alice. I turned back and she was scrunching her nose, looking at my t-shirt. I leant back and checked it for dirt but every exaggerated fold of the fabric was clean, one patch a pale cream on bright yellow where I'd once spilt bleach on it.

"What?" I mouthed to her. She rolled her eyes and tore off a neat strip of paper from her note book.

_Have you heard of a little secret called fashion?_

I snorted quietly.

_Vaguely, though the mere idea of it sends me into a cold sweat and palpitations – quit dissing my dad's hand-me-downs : P_

She rolled her eyes again and I mouthed to her, "Lost cause." She giggled and returned her eyes to the front of the class.

I walked on my own to algebra, my only thoughts on my stomach and the threats it was making to me, so I managed to walk slap bang into someone, landing oh so delicately (not) on my arse. Algebra was another lesson that I was passable at so I took notes lazily, polishing off all of the practice questions in a few seconds each. It was strange going back and doing all of the work I'd learnt in the previous two years, but I knew that the stuff I'd do here would probably be more in depth than what I'd learnt already. I counted down the minutes until lunch, my stomach gurgling loudly in the still and silent room, causing a few chuckles as I gripped my sides and rested my head on the table, thinking about greasy pizza and salty pepperoni slices. I was first out of the room when the bell rang, jogging loosely to the canteen, my hands scrabbling around the depths of my bag for money. I stopped, devastated. My pirates treasure consisted of a button and a shiny ten pence piece – not even enough for a Fredo. I briefly considered calling in a bomb threat to the police to get my dads wallet.

A flash of greyish green swung in front of me, and I watched it curiously… A dollar, tracking its way back and forth like a pendulum "Christ I'm hallucinating."… The dollar laughed.

"Nearly…" Pale fingers dipped into my line of vision and I twisted my head back over my shoulder, feet planted to the ground and mouth gaping as my skin stretched my jaw down.

"Emmett!" a smile snapped onto my face, teeth clacking together from the force. I sprung round to face him, bouncing happily.

"Can I eat?"

"What, me or the canteen food?" I choked back a laugh, keeping my face straight before stepping back again and scrutinizing him in the same way Alice had been this morning.

"I don't think I'm _that_ hungry, to be honest, I mean, there _is_ rather a lot of you." I stretched my hands away from my sides, rotating them slightly in a circle in front of my chest, trying to fit his huge body between the two like photographer framing a shot with his hands. He boomed out another laugh and flicked the end of my nose before stuffing the money into one of my pirouetting hands. I hugged him quickly and briefly, blushing furiously.

Once in the canteen he sent me to get food while he grabbed his family's 'usual' table, stuffed into a back corner of the pale room. I grabbed a pizza slice and small drink in a bright orange box. I carefully counted out the dull green notes, having already been nearly scammed by a till operator the other day, who I'd trusted to tell me if I'd given him more than he needed. Cheeky bastard had nabbed it all and let me wander off. Luckily my dad was right behind me and had demanded my spare notes back. By the time I'd finished with the cashier the rest of the Cullen's had arrived, leaving a seat between Alice and Edward. I paused unsurely; did they want me to join them? Edward seemed to read my mind, looking up and beckoning me over with big waves of his hand and a lopsided smile. I returned it and crossed the room in quick long strides, sitting down and nibbling at my food whilst they talked around me; I'd always been happier just listening to conversations whilst I ate. They glanced at me every now and then, sometimes warily, others as though to check I was still there. They murmured mostly, mouths behind hands though I picked most of it up, Emmett and Rosalie discussing cars, Alice and Edward occasionally commenting on there lessons and Jasper sitting silently, looking like he was about to throw up.

Edward led me to Biology, telling me that I'd probably have to sit next to a guy called Mike. I wasn't all too sure if this was a good or bad thing, though his tone mildly suggested bad. I made my way slowly to the desk Edward had pointed out once we reached the room and sat silently, staring straight ahead and waiting for the teacher to show up.

When he did he came back and signed my note, welcoming me to the school. I instantly took to him, he reminded me of my old physics teacher from England, rather a stern man but he had the corniest jokes you can imagine, like the one about milk: 'What's faster than the speed of light? Milk, it's pasteurised before you know it.' It was only after he had gone back up front that I noticed Edwards rather cold shoulder attitude to Bella. The girl herself looked unaffected by it, but his avoidance of her was so huge she had to be aware, and undoubtedly insulted, so I figured it wasn't a new development. I grabbed my rubber and carved out a 'quit acting mean to her' note on it, only half of the letters coming out in blue biro. I tossed it straight at his head whilst the teacher was facing the board. He caught it mid air, raising a shrewd eyebrow at me before glancing at Bella, who had noticed my unconventional form of passing notes. She glanced over her right shoulder to my corner of the room and lowered her eyebrows minutely, questioning. I looked emphatically at Edward and leant half off my seat, copying Edward's previous pose. I'd momentarily forgotten about Mike and ended up half collapsed on him as I slipped off the stool. "Sorry!" I mumbled to him, luckily he took it good heartedly and just chuckled as I righted myself. She smiled at my unintentional antics but it was sad, it seemed to me like she quite liked him, and his attitude had hurt her more than she let on.

"Edward I'm not to sure about gym…" I glanced at him, my face screwed up in a slight fear. He seemed perplexed. "I tend to… maim, people, last time I played netball I broke a girls fingers."

"How on earth did you do that?"

"That's besides the point." I covered quickly; I didn't need him to know _how_ bad I was at sports, just that I was, "I'm a danger to the student population! I need your help in convincing your implementer of torture-."

"Coach Clapp?"

"Yeah – I need to convince him that I'm a lost cause… I could wash sports kits instead!"

"Alex even the _thought_ of doing that makes me retch." He noted my pout before consenting. "Fine, I'll see if I can sort something out… for the poor, vulnerable students." A slow half smirk stretched his pale lips upward and I hugged him quickly, heading into the approaching girls changing rooms, Edward branching off to the boys.

Ten minutes later I was in my sports gear, huddled behind one Emmett Cullen.

"Are you sure that this isn't against any rules?" he caught a crimson red rubber dodge ball in his huge palms, idly throwing it in a random direction (ending in a satisfying smack of skin) as he turned back to me, his lovely plump lips grinning over almost too white teeth.

"You complaining?" another ball soared inches from my head (courtesy of a rather determined Edward Cullen).

"I'd never!" three balls came at him at once. He caught two but the third cracked straight into his stomach. There was a collective cheer and a huge grumble from Emmett, who rubbed the assaulted area and jogged off to the bleachers, throwing an apologetic look at Edward.

I knew I was in trouble then; Emmett had been protecting me for most of the game, occasionally letting me fend for myself while he went after his slippery brother, but even during those times I'd spent most of it falling and running. Another ball pelted at me, and the memory of the ever present smacks of dense rubber on soft skin made me flatten myself to the wall to avoid it, rather than let it hit me so I could get out. I dodged and weaved and got friction burns as I slid about, until there were only two of us remaining – Edward Cullen and myself. He grinned at me from across the room, a bright red bomb held securely between his palms. He was trying to freak me out, I realised, as he swung them about, mock throwing. I picked up one of the spheres closest to me, feeling the solid weight for the first time. I'd never played dodge ball before, health and safety in England dictated it a threat, though personally I couldn't ever remember there being a dodge ball related death on the news. Edward threw his ball towards me, not hard enough to hurt but hard enough to reach my feet and bounce. I moved to the left and threw _my _ball with all my strength. It crashed into his nose and I was certain I'd broken it. The rubber fell to the floor, and there wasn't a mark on him.

"Foul ball Black, Edward wins. Go hit the showers guys." I just gapped at the boy, both jubilant and stunned at the fact that he was fine. His skin staid it's paper white, not even a trace of red. "I'm so so sorry!" I jogged up to him and grabbed his chin, yanking him to my height and inspecting the even skin tone, "What are you, super man?" he chuckled warmly at me.

"Not quite, Y-fronts aren't really my thing." He ruffled my hair affectionately, before another (much larger) hand fell onto my skull, flattening it back down.

"You, Miss Black, are my god, Edward always wins dodge ball."

"Yeah, apart from when _you_ win, you mean." His younger brother quipped back. Emmett laughed loudly, making the students still in the room jump in shock.

"I thought he won this time too..?" I _had_ heard Clapp say that, hadn't I?

"Emmett only counts wins' on the only person to not get hit – no rules dodge ball, even if he and everyone else play by them." I nodded, a little baffled but it got through in some form or another.

They offered me another lift, but I declined, having realised that morning that I was low on a few cosmetic items, such as tooth paste and deodorant.

I walked Sylus in the rain when I got home, we were both soaked to our skins within ten minutes, though luckily after months of more or less the same it was a given.

In bed that night, my hair still wet from my shower, and the lamp next to my bed lighting a rough pool of bed and carpet, I thought about all of the old Quileute stories, about the wolves and cold ones, and the stories of our ancestors, the great chiefs. In all the years that I'd been told the stories I'd never gotten bored of them. The more my mind wandered the more the 'cold ones' entered my thoughts. I knew Uncle Billy thought that the Cullen's were our legendary opponents, and I could even imagine Emmett, jasper and Edward in their positions, to and extent even Rosalie, but the image of tiny Alice, soft Esme, and gentle Carlisle as bloody thirsty monsters just made me laugh. I eventually fell asleep and dreamt of Esme scolding a blood soaked Jasper while Emmett snacked on Jacob in the background.

Can't believe I actually managed to forget to up load this after completing it ha-ha.


	4. Chapter 4

Thank you very much to Crafton, Porter-Viator and Andi-Professional Daydreamer for reviewing! And for the compliments that went straight to my head and made me giggle o:)

Third chapter… or fourth, I forget sometimes. Hope any and all who read enjoy, I'm rather proud of myself for staying interested in this for so long lol (I've been writing it since last summer). By the by, is anyone interested in seeing a picture (using a dress up game) of Alex? I've been hooked on them and would very much like to share!

My second day at school was very similar to my first, only this time I took a bag of crisps and money, so I could munch during English and Algebra, and pay my own way through lunch.

The Cullen's were waiting for me on the curb, in two cars today rather than the one, the Volvo and a red convertible. Alice waved me over to the convertible, claiming it to be the 'cool car'. Rosalie glared threateningly at me, and I swallowed loudly, shivering. "Rose, stop scaring her!" Alice chided gently. I licked my lips and tried to come up with an excuse to walk. My dad came out of the front door while I struggled, a half slice of buttered and jammed toast dangling from his teeth.

"Hey there guys, Alli I'm amazed, friends already." He wiggled his eyes at me, before smiling at the girls, his eyes lingering on the stunning Rosalie – her mouth quirked into an almost repressed smirk in response. Dad blushed and fumbled with his keys for a second, and I watched, shocked, one eyebrow lifted. He caught my look and swallowed again, before his jaw tightened. "I'll get dinner on the way back from work, sprog."

"Uhuh, you do that." He blushed scarlet again before getting into his car, and I followed suit into the convertible.

"So, does your dad usually eye up teenagers?" Rosalie asked, smirking fully now.

"I bloody hope not, that was embarrassing. And don't you go encouraging him; poor thing would have a heart attack." She shot me what must have been the first genuine smile I'd seen on her.

"I don't know he's kinda tasty."

"Even with jam on his chin?

"_Especially_ with jam on his chin, didn't you know that's why I dumped Emmett? Not enough jam." I was rather shocked by this revelation.

"You dated your brother?" Alice cackled, the sound still managed to sound delicate and beautiful coming from her.

"He's not my brother! Jasper's my brother, Emmett is Alice's, and Edward is Carlisle's nephew." I mouthed 'oh' at her, wondering vaguely how that had gone down at home.

:[

Bella introduced me to a few of her friends, a nice girl called Angela, and, in my opinion at least, a rather bizarre pair, Lauren and Jessica, who immediately started to question me about my relationship with the Cullen's, and more specifically, Emmett.

"You know he went out with his _sister_ right? Rosalie."

"Yeah, she dumped him over jam." We were on our way to the cafeteria, and I could see the afore mentioned family ahead, and just caught Rosalie's half hidden grin. I was only half able to be stunned over the fact that they could obviously hear me from the other end of the hall, as Jessica was babbling on about how scandalised they all were.

"Mind you I don't blame her really, he's a bit goofy looking isn't he?"

"_Goofy?_ You're kidding! He's _gorgeous_!" she looked completely shocked by my remark, despite the fact that she'd just been slating the lot of them for incest.

"Yeah, he's got something of a… Neanderthal, look about him, and all those muscles, he's _got_ to be over compensating for something." Another glance at Rosalie showed her almost falling over from laughing so hard, while the man in question was pouting between me and her, obviously not sure who he should be more insulted by. I decided to let up a bit and changed the subject to how many pizza slices I could buy with twenty dollars.

Through the rest of lunch Jessica and Lauren quizzed me about the family, and though I started off polite I soon delved into just making up crap to make them gawp, and before long Jasper was Alice's beard, Emmett had admitted to being fond of wearing thongs while hiking, and Edward was a secret agent working to bring down a drugs ring in the reservation. I'm not sure entirely how I did it, but they seemed to actually believe me about all of the things I blurted, and were soon gossiping between themselves and claiming to have suspected all along.

:[

Edward tutted me thoroughly in biology, sliding into Mike's still empty seat and leaning on his elbow and fist.

"You realise that you've completely destroyed our reputation now, don't you?"

"Edward, pretty and anonymous mutes don't _have _reputations. Nobody around here has a clue about you lot."

"You think we're pretty?"

"I never said that."

"Yes you did-."

"Did not, and if you tell anyone I'll deny it!"

"Tell anyone what?"

"That I called you pretty!"

"I win."

:[

I somehow survived the car ride home, with both Rosalie and Alice teasing me about thinking the Cullen's were pretty, and Emmett fluttering his eyelashes when we pulled up outside of my house.

"Bugger off! Thong wearing, over compensating Neanderthal!" he just cackled through the open window as he drove off, flipping me Peter and Paul as he left.

The house was comfortingly dark when I eventually unlocked the door, still unsure about the new lock. However, the second I flipped on a light the safe feeling fled. I wasn't sure how I knew, but _something_ had been there. The newspaper lying on the third from bottom step wasn't on the crossword, how I'd left it that morning after a brief glance. One of the pockets in my anorak was inside out. The living room door was open. And it _smelt_ different, like the air had moved, bringing the outside in. woody, wet, thick. And then from the back garden the slightest thump.

Before thinking I'd shot through the house and out of the (now unlocked) back door, ignoring Sylus snoozing in his bed. No body in sight, but once again the air led me to the trees surrounding the house. Straight through bush and brush, calf and thigh muscles pulling perfectly. I was loosing ground to them. One last quick burst brought in sight a shockingly tall and dark silhouette. Then they were gone. I panted heavily, the air density resisting the amount I needed in my lung. I stopped running, unsure of what insane notion had caused me to pursue the burglar.

:[

Back in the house I glared at Sylus, who blinked innocently back up at me. I rolled my eyes and let him be, heading to the landline which had dad's desk phone on speed dial. After a lengthy wait, an unfamiliar voice greeted me. After a quick conformation that my dad wasn't in I thanked the woman on the other end and hung up, trying not to panic at the fact that I was alone, in a house that had been recently burgled, and I was surrounded by nothing but woods on all sides. I scrabbled around, looking for my dad's address book, thinking about his cousin Billy, and Jake. Realistically they were the only people I would be able to call - the only people whose number I might have access to.

The phone rang. And rang. And rang.

The screen door smacked, making me scream and drop the plastic hand set, which cracked against the work surface.

Sylus stood by the front door, leash in his mouth. He moved and pushed his nosed past the ajar door, nudging the screen, making it snap back into place. I gulped down the fear rising like bile up my throat.

"Right. Fine. You let a thief wander into the house willy nilly, and you still expect me to walk you - why aren't I surprised." he answered with a high whine.

I didn't feel brave enough to touch my anorak just yet, the protruding navy blue pocket lining seemed sinister. I clipped the lead on to Sylus' collar and allowed myself to be dragged outside again.

:[

For nearly a month after I either invited myself over to the Cullen's house after school, or got at least one of them to come into the house with me, on the pretence of homework, cooking, lending them things, needing to return things I'd borrowed. I wasn't sure, but they seemed to be fine with humouring me, and I had a feeling that Edward new more then I wanted him to. For nearly a month I was fine with this arrangement - and then one night I came home from school, and dad was already home. I was very confused - dad never came home early, was rarely home before I went to bed.

As we came to an easy stop, Emmet frowned at me. I just shrugged my shoulders, before saying goodnight and leaving the car. My foot snagged on a root as I stepped away from the car, and Alice's hand shot over Emmett and snagged my t-shirt. I gasped in shock as her nails racked over my stomach, but managed to right myself quickly.

"Oops, sorry! Well, maybe not - it's an awful shirt." She grinned toothily at me, but I wasn't paying attention to her any more. I was paying attention to the wild, hungry look in Jasper and Emmett's near black eyes.

"It's fine…" I thanked her quickly, darting a look to Edward and Rosalie in the idling corvette. Rose was stone still, and Edward looked nervous.

Back in the house, I lifted my shirt and inspected my stomach in the hall mirror. There was one, short pink line, beneath three long ruby red scratches, the second one down accompanied by a smudge of blood.

Dad came through from the Kitchen, greeting me half mindedly, before noticing the marks.

"What happened to you?" he asked in concern

"I tripped out side the car… Alice grabbed me so I wouldn't fall…" My breath was ghosting behind my words. Dad's eyes moved from the cut to my face.

"… You should both be more careful, in future." I nodded my assent.

Back in my room I take off the top and dump it on the back of my desk chair, intending to sew up the damage and relegate it to dog walking clothes. I glance to said dog, who's laying on my bed looking sorry for himself, the pale white bandage on his rear leg poking out from beneath the fluff of his tail. Sylus whines.

"Don't look at me like that - you're the plonker who tried to take on a stag." His tail beats once against the sheets.

My mobile bleeps from the bedside table, lighting up the long, slender crack along the scratched up screen.

Emmett. As always. The brief text brings a small blush to my cheeks and a smile to my lips. Would I like dinner tomorrow night. I type back that I'll have to check my diary.

When I replace my phone, I glance up briefly, and out of the window.

There's a figure. Just beyond the tree line.

I make out dark skin and short hair before the shape vanishes.

My breathing hitches inside my chest, tears spring up into my eyes, and I consider texting Emmett again on the pretence of homework, computer games, football - anything. Just as I lunge for the phone though, dad calls up to me, saying dinner is ready. I'd forgotten he was here. Though his presence should bring me comfort, I don't shake off the feeling that I'm being watched, even after I've fallen asleep in the early hours of the next morning.

:[

Emmett's broad back in it's blue polo shirt are easy to pick out in the deep greens and browns of the woods. I don't know where we're going, but we've already been walking for over two hours. I gave up talking for a light panting half an hour ago, and he keeps on throwing patronising and teasing grins or smirks over his shoulder, hitching an eyebrow and forcing me to carry on without complaint. There's something about him that just pushes every button I have, especially the ones that lead to competitiveness.

The route we're taking seems to be completely random, Emmett will take sharp turns around bushes, rocks of trees, and I'm not sure if he's lost, or just pretending to be to annoy me.

Usually we're joined by a couple others on our treks - Jasper most commonly, sometimes Edward and Bella (who finally got together), who go to a special place of Edwards that follows the route we start out on sometimes. But today, everyone's got something else to do, and Emmett's showing me somewhere new.

After he take another seemingly random turn, this time around a small termite hill, we clear the tree line, and come across the earth rising above us in a dramatic cliff face.

"Here we are!" he announces proudly. At first I'm confused. There's almost nothing in the way of scenery, and the ground is hard and slightly barren in comparison to other places we've been. I'm not sure why we're here specifically, until I notice a crack in the rock, and just inside the entrance, a black rucksack with neon green rope looped up next to it.

"We're climbing?"

"We're climbing." I squeal unexpectedly and throw myself at him, hugging his thick waist

"This is going to be so amazing!" I've been begging him to teach me ever since I found out he could do it, and although he agreed pretty easily, it's still taken two months for it to actually happen. But I'm not so surprised, none of the Cullen's rush to do anything. They all act as though they have the entirety of time to do anything they want to.

And that's how Emmett goes about teaching me how to climb. Each knot is shown five times minimum before I can try it myself, each buckle is explained, how it works, when it should be used, how strong it is. He explains how the shoes, gloves and hard hat are used to their best, explains that I need to learn how to fall properly, how to do this, and a thousand other things, most of which are easy or common sense. But I humour him, because I know (with a little prodding from Rose), that for some reason, Emmett worries about me. I know that he worries I'll get hurt somehow.

And most of the time, that makes me feel safe, I lets me sleep easily, even though I know that there's something not right about forks, about the people, about the Cullen's. About the shadowy figure I see out of the corner of my eye every now and again, because he'd never let anything hurt me, not Emmett.

It's been an age, I know, and I have no excuse beyond being a faffer.


End file.
